£9K fees put off 2000 applicants

Looks like quite a few people reckon a degree isn’t worth £9K/year.


There won't be a noticeable difference in the numbers graduating just yet.

After all the kicking and screaming of the student protests over the last fourteen months the recent UCAS deadline means that we’re finally able to see just how big a deterrent casually tripling tuition fees has been for cash strapped sixth formers.

The University of Southampton has taken a fairly significant hit with a 6% drop in applications, which translates to over 2000 students. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the queue at Sobar will be any shorter –we’re still oversubscribed, so all courses will remain full.

Down at Solent things are far more severe as their applications have dropped by 15%, despite wisely opting to put their courses in the lower fee bracket of £7, 800. That’s a pretty big deal and will have serious repercussions for them so now is the time to jeer or feel sympathetic.

It’s nice to see that some people are doing OK in these times of austerity though – our own Vice-Chancellor apparently received a very comfortable £303, 000 for 2010/2011 following a £10K pay rise. That cheery thought will keep me warm this evening as I sit inside my frosty house drinking economy cuppa-soup and admiring my own breath.